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Explosive Passing Offense

OrangeBowlMagic

OrangeBowlMagic

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We know Dawson can and will promote it.

We know Mario will allow it.

I’ll never say this will be 2024 until I see it on the field, but in terms of that explosiveness in the passing game, I think we can approach it. Here’s why:

Cam Ward in 2024 put up the best season any of us have ever seen. He averaged 9.4 yards per attempt that year. Good for #3 in the country. Who was #5? Darian Mensah at Tulane. 9.2 yards per attempt.

Now, at Duke in 2025, that number drops to 7.7 per attempt, good for 38th. But his completion percentage was virtually the same. 65.9% at Duke compared to 65.1% at Tulane. So what’s that tell you? Duke isn’t having him push the ball as much. And that tracks, because in 2024 under this Duke staff, Malik Murphy was 88th in the country in YPA. Johnathan Brewer is the OC there, you should know him. He was here with Lashlee. He’s a Lashlee disciple. Tempo, short passing attack.

So back to Mensah here. We know he can push it. We know Dawson can as well. What about the weapons?

Malachi Toney is an alien. Nuff said. He’s going to be one of the very best players in America, regardless of position. But look at the rest.

Barkate averaged 15.3 a catch last year at Duke, on 74 catches. Really, really good. Wanna know how many receivers on our team had that number this year? One. Tony Johnson, and he caught 7 balls. Even on the 2024 team, that’s a better number than Horton and George. Only Restrepo and Arroyo were better.

Enter Vandrevius Jacobs. Averaged 17.1 a catch last year on 32 catches. VERY explosive production. That number would have led our team in 2024, by the way.

Enter Cam Vaughn. Averaged 15.4 a catch last year, good for 10th in the Big 12. Again, a very good number.

That’s 3 kids who averaged at least 15 yards a catch, oh plus that Malachi Toney guy, who is pretty good.

Josh Moore. Upshaw. You HAVE to think Lofton fully healthy is a **** of a lot more explosive than Bauman. No, he won’t be Arroyo, but he can make plays down the field.

All orchestrated by a kid who has demonstrated he can get over 9 yards a throw, now in Year 3 starting in the most QB friendly offense he’s ever played in.

The question mark is the OL. No, it’s not likely Mensah is going to be able to sit in the pocket and do Wordle like Cam and Beck did. But if there’s literally anything I trust this staff to do, it’s protect the QB. Even in 2023 when TVD was broken, physically and his brain, he had all day to throw. I expect Mensah will be way better protected than he was at Duke or Tulane.

It is scary hours for everyone we play this year. We can come at you with multiple excellent backs, and we have a kid with absurd arm talent throwing to Baby Jesus and the Vertical Apostles. I’m downright aroused at the thought of what this offense can do in the air on explosives this season. I’m not saying it’s going to the Cam experience, because that’s not fair to expect. But I really think it can be **** close. A pinpoint downfield passer with an electric arm behind a good OL throwing to 4+ receivers who have demonstrated they can get over 15 a pop at the big boy level.

Wheels all the way the **** up, boys and girls. The circus is back in town.
 
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That’s not what I’ve seen @OrangeBowlMagic. They pushed the ball downfield. That’s from watching the games.

In fact, maybe you can help me with this because you’re the stats guy I trust, I briefly looked it up and it seems Mensah had the *most* deep shot attempts (80+) over 20 yards.

Now, Mensah’s accuracy wasn’t amazing in these 20+ yard attempts, but they threw them frequently, which impacts %s on lower probability throws. Apparently, the most frequently and even more frequently than Cam Ward in 2024 (less than 80). Beck had less than 65 in 2025, apparently.

Check it out.

Where he was outstanding % wise was in the 10-19 range.

This is from a mix of watching games and looking up numbers, so I welcome corrections.
 
A little more information. Barkate’s average was good, but slightly misleading. For example, he had a big game against Clemson, where his longest catch of the season was made (77 yard TD). Except, if you watch the game/play, it’s a busted coverage. The Corner blitzes, Mensah quickly notices, looks like a possible RPO, and there is no one around Barkate for maybe 2 miles.

Another long-ish TD comes from a savvy play where Barkate fakes a blocking tempo and then goes vertical.

So, I heard some people cite these as explosive plays without looking at how Barkate ‘won.’

He’s more of an intermediate guy, from what I watched, than a Charlie Becker vertical threat.
 
The ceiling on this offense for me comes down to 3 things

Can we block at least at a top 10 level. I say yes

Can we score TD in the red zone

Can we diversify the run and screen game with PERSONNEL to add complexity and more chunk runs

We have the horses. This is, for my money, the best offense in America now. We’ve got to get more explosive and cash in inside the 20
 
LuCane said:
That’s not what I’ve seen @OrangeBowlMagic. They pushed the ball downfield. That’s from watching the games.

In fact, maybe you can help me with this because you’re the stats guy I trust, I briefly looked it up and it seems Mensah had the *most* deep shot attempts (80+) over 20 yards.

Now, Mensah’s accuracy wasn’t amazing in these 20+ yard attempts, but they threw them frequently, which impacts %s on lower probability throws. Apparently, the most frequently and even more frequently than Cam Ward in 2024 (less than 80). Beck had less than 65 in 2025, apparently.

Check it out.

Where he was outstanding % wise was in the 10-19 range.

This is from a mix of watching games and looking up numbers, so I welcome corrections.
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Mensah is a good deep ball thrower. Where we are going to kill is in between as you pointed out. That’s where both barkate and toney are absolute monsters. We will stretch the field with the best of them but I expect a lot of hitting those two open in between zone coverage and watching them eat up YAC as well
 
JustAFanHTX said:
Mensah is a good deep ball thrower. Where we are going to kill is in between as you pointed out. That’s where both barkate and toney are absolute monsters. We will stretch the field with the best of them but I expect a lot of hitting those two open in between zone coverage and watching them eat up YAC as well
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Those switch releases, bunches, and stacks are going to be **** on earth for DBs, my friend. Put Jacobs over on their side and watch things clear, too.
 
JustAFanHTX said:
Mensah is a good deep ball thrower. Where we are going to kill is in between as you pointed out. That’s where both barkate and toney are absolute monsters. We will stretch the field with the best of them but I expect a lot of hitting those two open in between zone coverage and watching them eat up YAC as well
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Couldn’t agree more… DCs going into this season were always going to take Toney away.

It’s just funny how more difficult that becomes because we just got a 1-2 combo that was just as dangerous with built in chemistry from duke. So yeah you can bracket, double, and have extra eyes on him but it’s gonna be a nightmare with Barkate running wild… mix in RBs like fletch who are coming down hill at 225 with bad intentions and a QB who can scoot if you do seem to play good coverage.

Super excited about this offense… only question marks will be oline only because we will be breaking in new (talented for sure) starters and growing pains with blitz picks up and stunts will have to be expected
 
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Orange and Green shades on all year . Best team in the country . My body is ready



Summer Beer GIF by DEEPSYSTEM
 
LuCane said:
That’s not what I’ve seen @OrangeBowlMagic. They pushed the ball downfield. That’s from watching the games.

In fact, maybe you can help me with this because you’re the stats guy I trust, I briefly looked it up and it seems Mensah had the *most* deep shot attempts (80+) over 20 yards.

Now, Mensah’s accuracy wasn’t amazing in these 20+ yard attempts, but they threw them frequently, which impacts %s on lower probability throws. Apparently, the most frequently and even more frequently than Cam Ward in 2024 (less than 80). Beck had less than 65 in 2025, apparently.

Check it out.

Where he was outstanding % wise was in the 10-19 range.

This is from a mix of watching games and looking up numbers, so I welcome corrections.
Click to expand...
2025, Mensah vs Beck Stats on Intermediate, Deep, Under Pressure, When Blitzed, and Non Play-Action passes. ***intermediate was supposed to be 10-19, no 0-19

Mensah was basically pressured on legit DOUBLE the Dropbacks as Beck. Idk how they **** Mensah had 30 throw aways under pressure but that seems like a **** load.... but even with double the pressure rate basically, he had a better Pass Grade + QB Rating. He held onto the ball substantially longer as well. This probably goes with the increased pressure rate, but his Sack% and P2S% relative to Beck were mostly similar or better. Seems like Mensah really needs to clean up fumbles, cause his INT% is lower than Beck across the board - substantially in some cases. I think probably the ONLY real concerning statsistics in these groupings is just the category of Under Pressure. Mensah was mostly better than Beck in most other metrics....

1769584374278.png


1769584530182.png
 
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JustAFanHTX said:
I also have a bold rb prediction. Lyle and Fletch split carries
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He better start out hot then. If he starts off anything like he played this season which wasn't even close to good enough, and Pringle isn't getting enough snaps, it'd be ******* insane. And we have what should be 4 easy run games to start the season, so absolutely ZERO excuses. Then the hard part of our schedule Clemson - FSU - Pitt - UNC - ND.... So If he hasn't CLEARLY elevated himself before that stretch and Pringle isn't getting worked in enough...
 
Calinative said:
2025, Mensah vs Beck Stats on Intermediate, Deep, Under Pressure, When Blitzed, and Non Play-Action passes.

Mensah was basically pressured on legit DOUBLE the Dropbacks as Beck. Idk how they **** Mensah had 30 throw aways under pressure but that seems like a **** load.... but even with double the pressure rate basically, he had a better Pass Grade + QB Rating. He held onto the ball substantially longer as well. This probably goes with the increased pressure rate, but his Sack% and P2S% relative to Beck were mostly similar or better. Seems like Mensah really needs to clean up fumbles, cause his INT% is lower than Beck across the board - substantially in some cases. I think probably the ONLY real concerning statsistics in these groupings is just the category of Under Pressure. Mensah was mostly better than Beck in most other metrics....

View attachment 355684

View attachment 355685
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He was pressured alot because the oline wasnt that good. Watched the Illinois game and he had 2 fumbles he lost working out of pocket and the DE coming from behind and him not feeling him double back. Caused fumble twice that way.. Also had INT on out and up play, kinda similar to how ward had against VT. Duke had 5 turnovers this game, 4 lost fumbles. They moved the ball pretty good overall but turnovers and redzone miscues killed them.
 
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LuCane said:
A little more information. Barkate’s average was good, but slightly misleading. For example, he had a big game against Clemson, where his longest catch of the season was made (77 yard TD). Except, if you watch the game/play, it’s a busted coverage. The Corner blitzes, Mensah quickly notices, looks like a possible RPO, and there is no one around Barkate for maybe 2 miles.

Another long-ish TD comes from a savvy play where Barkate fakes a blocking tempo and then goes vertical.

So, I heard some people cite these as explosive plays without looking at how Barkate ‘won.’

He’s more of an intermediate guy, from what I watched, than a Charlie Becker vertical threat.
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To be fair, you can make that same argument about a lot of other guys too right?

Busted coverages happen. Missed tackles happen. These things inflate numbers, not just for Barkate, for the other guys too.

I do agree though in that I don’t see an Alec Pierce type threat in Barkate. Some guys do have a knack for just finding ways to make explosive plays. Chemistry with the QB plays a big role here too à la Cam -> X.
 
OrangeBowlMagic said:
We know Dawson can and will promote it.

We know Mario will allow it.

I’ll never say this will be 2024 until I see it on the field, but in terms of that explosiveness in the passing game, I think we can approach it. Here’s why:

Cam Ward in 2024 put up the best season any of us have ever seen. He averaged 9.4 yards per attempt that year. Good for #3 in the country. Who was #5? Darian Mensah at Tulane. 9.2 yards per attempt.

Now, at Duke in 2025, that number drops to 7.7 per attempt, good for 38th. But his completion percentage was virtually the same. 65.9% at Duke compared to 65.1% at Tulane. So what’s that tell you? Duke isn’t having him push the ball as much. And that tracks, because in 2024 under this Duke staff, Malik Murphy was 88th in the country in YPA. Johnathan Brewer is the OC there, you should know him. He was here with Lashlee. He’s a Lashlee disciple. Tempo, short passing attack.

So back to Mensah here. We know he can push it. We know Dawson can as well. What about the weapons?

Malachi Toney is an alien. Nuff said. He’s going to be one of the very best players in America, regardless of position. But look at the rest.

Barkate averaged 15.3 a catch last year at Duke, on 74 catches. Really, really good. Wanna know how many receivers on our team had that number this year? One. Tony Johnson, and he caught 7 balls. Even on the 2024 team, that’s a better number than Horton and George. Only Restrepo and Arroyo were better.

Enter Vandrevius Jacobs. Averaged 17.1 a catch last year on 32 catches. VERY explosive production. That number would have led our team in 2024, by the way.

Enter Cam Vaughn. Averaged 15.4 a catch last year, good for 10th in the Big 12. Again, a very good number.

That’s 3 kids who averaged at least 15 yards a catch, oh plus that Malachi Toney guy, who is pretty good.

Josh Moore. Upshaw. You HAVE to think Lofton fully healthy is a **** of a lot more explosive than Bauman. No, he won’t be Arroyo, but he can make plays down the field.

All orchestrated by a kid who has demonstrated he can get over 9 yards a throw, now in Year 3 starting in the most QB friendly offense he’s ever played in.

The question mark is the OL. No, it’s not likely Mensah is going to be able to sit in the pocket and do Wordle like Cam and Beck did. But if there’s literally anything I trust this staff to do, it’s protect the QB. Even in 2023 when TVD was broken, physically and his brain, he had all day to throw. I expect Mensah will be way better protected than he was at Duke or Tulane.

It is scary hours for everyone we play this year. We can come at you with multiple excellent backs, and we have a kid with absurd arm talent throwing to Baby Jesus and the Vertical Apostles. I’m downright aroused at the thought of what this offense can do in the air on explosives this season. I’m not saying it’s going to the Cam experience, because that’s not fair to expect. But I really think it can be **** close. A pinpoint downfield passer with an electric arm behind a good OL throwing to 4+ receivers who have demonstrated they can get over 15 a pop at the big boy level.

Wheels all the way the **** up, boys and girls. The circus is back in town.
Click to expand...
one of my favorite posters.... yeah man
 
Im excited to have a guy that can beat you with his legs pretty easily if need be. Carson came on late running but was obviously not a natural runner.
As for the OL I’m not nearly as concerned as some are. I’m confident in the staff. I feel like we’ve recruited guys that know the standard and have seen it the last two years.
 
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